Like a Child

2-7-07

“Unless you become like a little child,” Jesus said, “you cannot enter the kingdom of Heaven.”  In this case Christ was talking about a child’s humility and faith, but there is also a sense in which regaining the wonder, joy, and enthusiasm of a child allows us to experience God’s kingdom on earth.  I was reminded of this on Wednesday.  We had a snow day, and it was Valentine’s Day, at least one of which facts got each person on campus happy.  In the afternoon I went sledding out back between Lake Bob and Little Bob.  I enjoyed it very much and was proud of myself for thinking of using a plastic tub lid for a sled.  We didn’t get to do as man runs as I had hoped, but con the wayback to my dorm I realized what a joy it is to appreciate the little pleasures in life.  That evening I also immensely enjoyed rolling around the wing on the roller blades Mom had sent me in a Valentines packageand bring my wing girls Valentines “snacks on skates.”  It was fun to skate around in the first place, but it was even better to hear the laughter and appreciation in their voices when I rolled with homemade cookies and jelly ellies.B  Living at PHC has taught me to appreciate the big blue sky, walks down the bike trail, tea, reading with friends, back rubs, honest conversations, and simply resting.  I think this is a good thing.  Now I just need to rlook atthrough the lense of Godit all b’s goodness and kingdom, for every gift is from above.s

How to Square Dance

2-13-07

What image tripps into your mind when you hear the term “square dancing”?  I used to see women and girls in brightly-colored, poofy-sleeved and hoop-skirted dresses dancing to fiddle music with men in jeans and flannel shirts, with hay bales and barn rafters framing the picture.  I imagined them swirling in groups of four—a square—but I found on Saturday that the squares are actually formed by eight people, one couple forming each of the four sides.  I ATTENDED A SQUARE DANCING crash course on Saturday, held in a local church’s fellowship hall.  The many windows and white electric light differed greatly from the yellow lantern light I had associated with square dancing, but there were several poofy skirts among the misxof t-shirts and jeans, and the same funloving spirit was definitely present.  The cller (the man who taought the class and calls out the different moves as you dance) wore a red tie and pantsJ  He played not a fiddle but records from the fifties and even mixed the dance directions with the song lyrics.  I think one of my favorite things about the event, though, was the family atmosphere.  It was so cute to watch a five-year-old boy courteously ask a woman his mother’s age to be his partner and then to see everyone in his square direct him along through the dance figures.  I learned a lot—maybe twenty different figures—and very much enjoyed it.  Yall might too.